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A. H. HARRIS SHACKLE FOR VEHICLE SPRINGS Jan. 4,1927. Re. 1

' Original Filed Dec. 9. 1920 INVENTOR ATTORNEY Reissued Jan. 4, 1921.

UNITED STAT-ES v Re. 16,519 PATENT OFFICE.

ARCHER H. HARRIS, OEBABBERTON, OHIO, ASSIGNOR, BY MESNE ASSIGNMENTS, TO

THE FAINIR BEARING COMPANY, OF NEW BRITAIN. CONNECTICUT, A CORPORA- TION OF CONNECTICUT.

SEACKLE FOB VEHICLE SPRINGS.

Original application filed December 9, 1920, Serial No. 429,312. Renewed August 5, 1922, Serial No. 579.949. Original 1T0. 1,474,361, dated November 20, 1923. Application for reissue filed August 7,

1925. Serial No. 48,908.

This invention relates to shackles for vehicle springs, and more especially the laminated supporting springs of automobiles.

The object of my invention is to provide a shackle of such construction that the wear or friction at the connections of the shackle with the spring and supporting element, resulting from the compression and rebound of the spring, is minimized; and that the ready adjustment of the members of the shackle which are subjected to end thrust, can be effected in order to take up wear and thus prevent side slap of the spring.

Accordingly my invention consistsin various novel features of construction and combinations of parts which will be hereinafter described and claimed.

In the drawings- Figure 1 is an end elevation, artly in vertical section, of a shackle embo yingthe principle of my invention.

Fig. 2 is a vertical section of the construction, as on the line of 22 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a vertical section through one of the antifriction bearings of the shackle, as on the line 3-3 of Fig. 1.

Referring to the drawings, 10 designates a supporting element, such, for example, as

. one end of a side bar of an automobile frame; and 11 designates a portion of a laminated spring which is flexibly connected at one end, 12, to the frame bar by my improved shackle. This shackle comprises two substantial side members 13 which are supported in spaced parallel relation to each other, and are arranged to embrace the bar 10 and also the end of the spring. In the present instance the shackle is illustrated as connecting the outer end of the spring with the outer end of the frame bar, but the shackle can, of course, be employed to connect the opposite end of the spring with the body of the frame bar. In fact, in practice, two shackles are employed for the respective ends of the spring.

The side members are maintained in spaced relation to each other by upper and lower cross-pins, preferably constituted by bolts 14, which are freely encircled by sleeves or bushings 15 interposed between the two members, the nuts 16 which are screwed on one end of the bolts, bearing against theouter face of the proximate side member. The upper bushing is fast in the end (or body) of the bar 10 so as to provide a mounting attachment therefor, and the lower bushing is fixedly held in the end coil 12 of the spring. The respective ends of each of these bushings extend outward somewhat beyond the adjacent bar or 5 ring, as at 17, and to each projecting en of a bushing is afiixed the ring section 18 of a ball or roller bearing, This section en-' circles a complementary bearing section constituted by a ring 19 on a boss 20 on the inner side of the adjacent member. In the present instance the sections 18, 19 comprise cone rings for roller bearings, the antifriction rollers whereof are indicated at 21.

The bolts 14 not only hold the side members of the structure in alinement, but by means of the nuts 16 adjustment of the sections 19 of the respective roller bearings in accurate relation to the sections 18 can be readily efl'ected in order to take up wear, as occasion-may require. Such bearings permit free and easy oscillations, relative to each other, of the assembled elements. comprising the bar, the spring and the shackle.

It is to be particularly noted that neither of the bushings 15 comes in contact with the adjacent bolt 14 nor with the side members 13, and that therefore the said bolt is not subject to friction or to wearin action on account of the oscillation of the s ackle, but, instead, the stress is confined solely to the associated ,cones and rollers. Hence the wearing action between the movin parts of the shackle and its adjuncts is re need to a minimum, and, at the same time, provision is had whereby the roller bearings can' be adjusted longitudinally of the bolts in order to take up wear in the said bearin and thus effectually preventin so-calle side slap of. the spring W151 its attendant rattling.

I preferably provide each of the bearing sections 18 with an annular lubricating packing 22 which serves to retain grease in, and to exclude sand or water from the bearmg.

.In previous types of-shackle's wherein the crossbolts, or pins, constituted the bearings for the bushings, it was necessary to apply a lubricant not only to the contact points of the associated bolts and bushings but also between the said bushings and the side members of the shackle. This was a diflicult and unreliable operation owing to the relatively slight oscillation of the shackle, and also to the entrance of sand and water between the side members and the bushings. Moreover,

' rapid wear, due to end thrust, took place between the bushings and the. side members, thus allowing lateral movement of the spring with its attendant rattling. These objections are entirely eliminated by a shackle construction embodying m invention.

. It is to be understoo that I do not limit my invention to the exact details of construction herein disclosed, as the same may be modified within the principle of my invention and the scope of the appendedclaims.

I claim i '1. In a shackle, a pair of side supporting members, a .pin element connecting said members in spaced parallel relation to each other, a bushing loosely encircling said pin element, a spring having one end interposed between the side members and fixed to the bushin and bearings for the respective ends 0 the bushing, each of said bearings comprising two complementary sections members, a pin element comprisin with antifriction members therebetween, one of said sections being fast on the adjacent end of the bushing and the other section bein fast on the proximate supporting mem er.

2. vIn a shackle, a pair of side supporting a bolt adjustably' connecting said mem ers in spaced parallel relation to each other, a bushing encircling said bolt and spaced therefrom, a spring having one end interposed between the side members and fixed to the bushing, and bearings for the respective ends of the bushing, each of saidbearings comprising two complementary sections with antifriction members interposed therebetween, one of said sections eing fast on the adjacent end of the bushing and the other section being fast on the proximate supporting member.

3. In a shackle, -a pair of side supporting members, a non-rotatable pin element connecting said members in spaced parallel relation to each other, a bushing loosely encircling said pin element, a spring having one end interposed between the side members and fixed to the bushin the respective ends of said bushing exten ing beyond the spring, and bearings for said'extending ends,

each of said bearings comprising two complementary sections with antifriction memers therebetween, one of said sections being fast on the adjacent end of the bushing and the other section being fast on the proximate supporting member. 4. A shackle comprising two side supporting members, a non-rotatable pin element connecting said members in spaced parallel 5. The combination with a vehicle frame and a laminated supporting spring therefor, of a shackle flexibly connecting one end of the spring to the frame, said shackle comprising two side supporting members, nonrotatable pin elements connecting said members in spaced parallel relation to each other, bushings loosely encircling said pin elements, one of said bushings being fast in the frame element and the other bushin being fast to one end of the spring, an

bearings for the respective ends of each of said bushings, each of said bearings comprisin two complementar sections with antifriction members therebetween, one of said sections being fast on the adjacent end of the bushing and the other section beingfast on the proximate supporting member.

6. In a shackle, a pair of side supporting members, a pin element connecting said members in spaced parallel relation to each other, a bushing loosely encircling said pin element and providing a mounting attachment, bearings for the respective ends of the said bushing, each of said bearings comprising two complementary sections with antifriction members therebetween, one of said sections being fast on the adjacent end tubular supports projecting from the eye of the spring and carrying conical bearing members on their ends, conical bearing members through whichthe frame is supported cooperating with the first mentioned bearing members, and anti-friction rollers between said bearino members. I

8. In a device of the class described, the combination of a frame member, a spring,

and a connection therebetween comprising tubular, supports projecting from the eye of the spring and carrying conical bearing members on their ends, conical bearing "members through which the frame is sup-,

frame and cooperating with said orted cooperating with the first-mentioned .earing members, means for adjusting the relation of the cooperating bearing members, and anti-friction rollers between said cooperating bearing members.

9. Ina device of the class described, the

combination of a frame member, a spring, and a connection therebetween comprising. supporting means non-rotatably arranged in the eye of the spring and projecting therefrom, conical bearing members on said supporting means, supporting means on said frame, conical bearing members on the lastmentioned'supporting means, and shackle meanshaving conical bearing members cooperating with the above-mentioned conical bearing members and through which said frame is connected with said spring, and anti-friction rollers between said bearing members. 10. In a device of the class described, the combination of a frame member, a spring, and a connection therebetween comprising supporting means non-rotatably arranged in the eye of the spring and projecting therefrom, conical bearings on said supporting means, supportin means on said frame, conical bearing mem ers on the last-mentioned supportingmeans, and shackle means having conical bearing members cooperating with the above-mentioned conical bearing members and through which said frame is connected with said s ring, and antifriction rollers between said caring members.

11. In a device of the class described, the combination of a frame member, a spring having an eye at one end, tubular supportin means non-rotatably arranged in the eye 0 the spring and projecting from the sides thereof, anti-friction bearings carried: by the projecting portions of said tubular means, members having connection with said bearings to transmit the frame load to the bearings, and a bolt loosely arranged in said tubular means and cooperating with said members to maintain them in their normal relation to said bearings.

12. In a device of the class described, the combination of a frame member, a spring having an eye at one end, tubular supporting means non-rotatably arranged in the eye of the spring and to transmit the load projecting from the sides thereof, anti-friction bearings having one of their races carried by the projecting portions of said tubular means, members connected with said frame member and cooperating with the other races of said bearings thereto and a bolt extending through said tubular means and said members to maintain the parts in their normal relation.

13. In a device of the class described, the combination of a frame member, a spring having an eye at one end, tubular supportthe spring ing means non-rotatably arranged in the eye of the spring and projecting from the sides thereof, anti-friction bearings having .one of their races carried by the projecting portions of said tubular means, an eye in said frame' member, tubular supportin means non-rotatably arranged therein an projecting'from the sides thereof, anti-friction bearings having one of their races carried by the projectlng portions of the lastmentioned tubular means,shackle members cooperating with the other members of said bearings to transmit the load from the frame to the spring, and bolts extending through said eyes and maintaining the parts in their normal relation.

14. In a device of the character described, supporting means to be secured to a vehicle spring, supporting means to be secured to a vehicle frame, shackle members at opposite sides of said supporting means for securing and frame together, anti-friction bearing members interposed between said supporting means and said shackle members, the bearing surfaces for said anti-friction bearing members on said supporting means and on said shackle members being inclined whereby lateral and end thrust is taken by said anti-friction bearing members, and means for securing said shackle members together.

.15. In the combination defined in claim 14, said shackle members being bodily movable toward and from each other for permitting' adjustment of the bearing surfaces and the anti-friction bearing members.

16. In the combination defined in claim 14, the bearing surfaces on said shackle members extending inwardl and Within the complementary bearing sur aces on said supporting means.

17. In a device of the character described for securing a vehicle frame to a vehicle spring, shackle plates pivotally secured to one of said members, hollow means on the other of said members, anti-friction bearing members interposed between said hollow means and said shackle plates and means passing 1 through said hollow means for holding said shackle plates in position;

18. In a device of the character described, for connecting a vehicle frame toa vehicle spring, shackle plates pivotally secured to one of said members, said other member having anti-friction raceways thereon, antifriction bearing members interposed between said racewa s and said shacklev plates, the

bearing sur aces on said shackle plates and said raceways being inclined whereby radial and end thrusts may be taken by said antifriction bearing members.

19. In a device of the character described. for connecting a vehicle frame to a vehicle spring, and including side members on said frame, means secured to the spring and 10- cated between said side members, anti-friction bearing members interposed between bearing surfaces on said means and said side members, said surfaces being inclined whereby both radial and end thrusts may be taken by the anti-friction bearing members.

20. In a device of the character described for connecting a vehicle frame to a vehicle spring, side supporting members on the frame and extending over the end of the spring, a raceway member on the inside of each of said side supporting members, raceway means at opposite sides of said spring and complementary to said raceway members on said side supporting members, and anti-friction bearing members interpoied between said complementary raceways, said raceways being inclined whereby both radial and end thrust loads are taken by said antifriction bearing members.

21. In the combination defined in claim 20, said side supporting members being pivotally secured on said frame.

22. In the combination defined in claim 20, said raceway members on said side supporting members extending inwardly toward the spring and into the raceway means on said spring.

23. In a device of the character described, the combination of a frame member and spring each having an eye therein, side members for connecting said frame and sprin complementary race members assoclate respectively with the frame, spring and side members, anti-friction bearing members interposed between the race members on said side members and said s ring and frame, and means passing throug 1 one of said eyes for holding said side members and anti-friction bearing members in proper relation to each other.

24. In the combination defined in claim 23, and means passing through the other of said eyes and serving to hold said side members and anti-friction bearing members in proper relation to each other.

25. In a device of the character described for connecting a vehicle frame to a Vehicle spring. side supporting members on the spring and extending over the frame, a raceway member on the inside of each of said side supporting members, raceway means at opposite sides of said frame and complementary to said raceway members on said side supporting members, and anti-friction bearing members interposed between said complementary raceways, said raceways being inclined whereby both radial and end thrust loads are taken by said anti-friction bearing members.

ARCHER H. HARRIS. 

